Multiple-valve-spring lifter



Oct; 19,1926.

L. M. WOOD MULTIPLE VALVE SPRING LIFTER Filed Feb. 28. 1924 z slieets-suee 1 Patented (Jet. 19, 15926.

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LOUIS MARCELL'US W'OOD, OF NEl/V YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO SPEED-O MULTIPLE VALVE LIFTER CORPORATION, 0F NEW "YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

liIULTIPLE-VALVE-SPRING LIFTER.

Application filed February 28, 1924-.

This invention relates to multiple valve spring lifters adapted to be used for the purpose of elevating and maintaining under compression a multiple number of valve springs, such as a series of six springs, in internal combustion engines, an object of the invention being to provide an improved valve spring lifter comprising a lifting member having means for operating against a relatively large number of valve springs, and wherein improved means is provided for elevating the lifting member and maintaining it in shifted position with the valve springs under compression, and also wherein improved means is provided for guiding the lifting member during the opera tion thereof.

A further object of this invention is to provide a valve spring lifter adapted to operate against a plurality of valve springs, and wherein the lifting member is raised against the valve springs by n'ieansof a pair of cam means operating in opposite directions.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved valve spring lifter comprising a lifting member adapted to cooperate against a number of valve springs, such as a series of six valve springs, and wherein cam means is provided for elevating the lifting member, and also wherein improved means is provided for the purpose of guiding the lifting member in positioning and operating the same.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved valve spring lifter which will be relatively simple and compact in construction, relatively easy and cheap to manufacture, and so constructed and operated that a number of valve springs may be elevated with a minimum of effort and positively maintained under compression during the removal of the valves for the purpose of grinding.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this s ')eeitication, wherein like rererence characters indicate corresponding parts in the several views, and wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevation illustrating a part of an engine block with an embodiment of my invention applied in position with respect to the valve Serial No. 695,750.

springs; Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 2-2 Fig. 1, and showing the valve lifter in position beneath the valve springs preparatory to the lifting op eration; Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 1 and illustrates the valve lifter in lifted position with the valve spring under compression; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a present embodiment of my invention, the valve spring retaining seats being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 5 is a rear side elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 4:; Fig. 6 is a plan view partly in section showing a pair of 0ppositely working cam means for the lifter, and Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of a cam.

Before explaining in detail the present improvement and mode of operation thereof, I desire to have it understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments, and that the phraseology which I employ is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

A lthough th e present improve d valve spring lifter is particularly adapted for the purpose of elevating or lifting under compression a series of six valve springs of an engine, it is of course understood that the lifter may be used in connection with various types of engines and may be readily adapted without departing from the spirit of the invention for operatin against a larger or smaller number of valve springs. Hence it will be understood that the invention may be adapted for engines having different number of cylinders and also that the form and design of the lifter may be varied in order to adapt the same to different engines having different forms and arrangement of parts.

In the drawings therefore where I have illustrated a present preferred form of my inventiolnthe engine or motor block is provided with the usual valve spring chamber 9, which is located within a housing formed by rear cylinder walls 10 having forwardly extending end walls 10 The front of the housing for the valve spring chamber is provided with a lengthwise extending depending lip 11, and an upwardly extending lip or flange 12 along the lower edge thereof, and it will be understood that the usual cover or door plate is detachably bolted over the opening at the front of the valve spring chamber for the purpose of normally closing the chamber. The cover or door plate (not shown) in the engine may be held in position by means of a pair of belts or studs 13 having nuts 14 adapted to be screwed on to the outer ends of the bolts for the pur pose of holding the cover or door plate in position.

The several valves 15 are provided with valve stems 16, which extend into the valve spring chamber 9, and the lower ends of the stems are provided with holes within which are reniovably located retaining pins 17, against which the valve spring retainers 18 rest for the purpose of supporting the valve springs 19 which are seated in the retainers 18 and are located in position be tween the retainers and the upper wall of the valve spring housing.

The bottom wall of the valve spring housing is provided with a series of upwardly extending guide nipples or bearings 20 which are provided with vertical bores with in which operate the valve stem pushers 21, these being operated in the usual. manner by cams on the cam shaft of the engine.

The lifting member in the present instance comprises an angle bar which may be read ily formed in a single casting and which comprises a normally vertically extending member 22 adapted to be located in position longitudinally in front of the valve springs to be lifted. Extending from the vertical member 22 is a horizontal member 23, which is provided with a series of slots or recesses 2%, six being shown in the present instance by way of example, into which recesses extend the several valve stems, thereby permitting the retainers l8 to be seated upon the member around the sides of the recesses 24, as shown particularly in l.

At equal distances at opposite sides of the center of the lifting member the horizontal member 23 is enlarged at 25. The vertical member 22 is provided with a pair of vertically extending guide slots 26 and 27, which are alined and connnunicate with horizontally extending grooves or slots 28 and 29 formed in the enlarged portions Each companion pair of guide slots 23, 28., and 27, 29 combine to form a single guide slot for receiving one of the housing studs or bolts 13 so that as a result these guide slots cooperate with the bolts 13 to position the lifting member accurately with res ect to the valve springs ant. guide the same in a vertical plane against endwisemovement.

In the present instance the lifting niem ber is operated by means of a pair of oppositely working or shiftable cams adapted to engage the under faces of the enlarged portions of the lifting member. Beneath the guide slot 27, 29 is located a cam block or support 30 which at one side thereof is recessed transversely to receive a rotatable cam spindle or shank 31. Projecting from the spindle 31 is a cam 32 having at one side thereof a curved working face 37 terminating at the end in an approximately flat face 37". At its outer end the spindle 31 is provided with a squared or wrench receiving portion 33, and the cam block 30 is recessed at 3 L to provide clearance for the cam 32 when swung or shifted into hori zontal position.

Located beneath the guide slot 26, 28 is a. second cam block or support which is recessed at one side transversely to receive a cam spindle or shank 36, which has a bearing in the recess. Projecting from this spindle is a cam 37 which is constructed in the same manner as the cam The cam spindle 3G is provided at its outer end with a squared or wrench receiving portion 38, and it will be noted that the cam 37 is shifted in a direction opposite to the direction of n'iovement of the cam 32 and hence the working portions of cam 37 are in reverse relation to the working portions of the cam 'lhe cam block is also recessed at 39 to provide clearance for the cam 37 when it is shifted downwardly into horizontal position.

T he lifting member 22, 23 is detachably connected to the supports or cam blocks 30 and by means of guiding connections which are effective to guide the lifting member during operation against movement with resp ct to the valve springs. The cam block is tapped to provide a pair of holes located at the inner side thereof opposite to the cam spindle 36, these tapped holes being spaced laterally or transversely of the lifting member. Into these holes are screwed a pair of guide pins or bolts d0 and 41, which extend through elongated holes 42 in an enlarged portion 25 of the lifting member.

in the present instance the guide pin is provided with a slotted head which normally interlocks the cam block 35 and lifting member against detachment, but by means of which the pin may be unscrewed from the cam block so as to disconnect the same from the lifting member when demally interlocks the cam block 30 and lifting member against detachment, but by means of which the pin may be unscrewed so as to disconnect the cam block and lifting member when desired.

The cam blocks or supports 30 and 35 in some instances may be provided with pairs of downwardly extending lugs or projections 4-3 and 44: respectively which form guides adapted to position the blocks by engagement against the inner side of the lip 12 of the valve chamber, and also adapted in certain types of motors to enable the bottom of the cam block to clear any projections on the bottom of the valve spring chamber. It will be noted furthermore that the outer side faces of the cam support 30 are curved at 48 and 49, and that in like manner the outer side faces of am support are curved at 50 and 51. As a result of this construction each cam block support will fit snugly between a pair of valve lifter bearings of the engine and the curved portions 48, 49, 50 and 51 will fit around the curved walls of the bearings 20. whereby, it-will be seen, the bearings 20 cooperate with the cam blocks or supports and to maintain the same firmly in position against movement.

The cam 32 in the present instance is operated by means of a wrench 15 which may be applied to the wrench receiving portion 33 of the cam spindle 31, and the cam 3'? in like manner is operated by a wrench 16. It will be noted that the full throw of each cam and hence the entire lifting operation, is obtained by turning each camspindle and by swinging each wrench merely a quarter revolution. Thus all the springs may be easily and readily elevated under compression by a simple, short movement of the wrenches and without any laborious effort.

In using the present improved lifter the nuts 14 are removed from the studs 13 and the lifting member placed in position with the studs 13 passing through guide slots 26 and 27. The nuts lat are then screwed on the studs 13 and against the lifting member su'lliciently to permit free movement thereof vertically. The cam blocks 30 and 35 will extend between pairs of valve lifter bearings 20 and curved portions d8, 19, and 51 will fit around the aearings, also the de pending lugs 43 and 44 will overlap the front edge of the valve chamber. lVith the lifter in proper position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wrenches 4'5 and 16 are applied to parts 33 and 38 as shown in 4. Grasping the handles of the wrenches with both hands the operator may elevate the lifting member against the springs by simultaneously forcing downwardly the wrench handles and thereby turning the cam spindles a quarter revolution and swinging the cams from horizontal to vertical positions and the curved working faces 37 of the cams against the under faces of parts 25 of the lifting member. l i hen the flat faces 37 of the cams bear against the lifting member it will be held firmly in elevated posi tion with the valve springs held under compression. Reverse operation of the wrenches will swing the cams into horizontal position, the cams 32 and 87 in the present instance being notched at 17 and d8 respectively to provide clearance for the guide pins i3 and 40.

It will be noted that the cams 32 and 37 are swung in reverse or opposite directions, so that as a result the cams when simultaneously operated will shift the lifting member in a vertical plane without any material tendency to oscillate. It will also be noted that the lifting member is guided from the c in blocks by means of guide pins l0, 4-1, 1-3, and 44, these pins preventing inward movement of the lifting member with relation to the valve springs. The guide pins also guide or maintain the lifting member against any substantial endwise movement during operation. The holes 42 and 45 in the lifting member which receive the two sets of guide pins are preferably slightly elongated so as to provide the necessary amount of play between lifting memb and guide pins in case one wrench is operated prior to the other in elevating the lifter.

lhe vertical member 22 of the lifting bar is provided adjacent to one end thereof with an im ardly extending proj eetin g guide portion located in rear of one of the recesses 24-, and adjacent to the opposite end with a corresponding guide proiection Each guise projection 52 and 58 has a flat vertical face adapted when the lifter is in position a shown especially in Figs. 2 and 8 to rest against a spring 19. Thus as the lifting member 22-23 is elevated against the several valve springs and as the valve springs are raised under compression the guides 52 and 53 travel or slide against the front of the springs and assist in guiding the lifting member against inward displacement. Furthermore these guides assist in guiding the lifting member into proper initial position with respect to the valve springs and valve stems.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the lifting member is effectively operated against a relatively large number of springs, such as a series of six, by a simple, effective and conveniently operated cam action, wherein the reversb operation of a pair of cams when elevating the lifter tend to keep it in a horizontal position, wherein the lifting member is effectively guided from the cam supports, which latter are held firmly in position, wherein the lifting member is also guided against endwise movement by means of vertical guide slots cooperating with the housing studs or bolts of the engine and wherein the lifting member is positioned and guided by means adapted to engage the springs and travel thereagainst.

It is to be understood that by describing in detail herein any particular form, structure or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims or the requirements of the prior art.

Having thus explained the nature of my said invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the modes of its use, I claim:

1. In a valve spring lifter, the combination of a lifting member constructed to operate against a plurality of valve springs, cam supporting means located below said lifting member, a plurality of pairs of vertically extending guide pins projecting through the lifting member for shiftably connecting the lifting member with the cam supporting means, and pair of shiftable cams carried by the cam supporting means and operative to shift the lifting member.

Fl. in a valve spring lifter, the combination of a lifting member comprising an angle bar having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, said vertical portion having a pair of vertical guide slots for receiving a pair of engine studs or bolts and said horizontal portion forming means for operating against a plurality of valve springs, a pair of supporting members located one beneath each of said guide slots, a cam carried by each supporting member and shiftable against said horizontal portion for elevating the lifting member, means for operating said cams, and means for connecting said lifting member with each of said supporting members.

3-1. in a valve spring lifter, the combination of a lifting member comprising an angle bar having a vertical portion and a hori zontal portion, said vertical portion having a pair of vertical guide slots for receiving a pair of engine studs or belts and said horizontal portion forming means for operating against a plurality of valve springs, a pair of supporting members located beneath said angle bar, a cam carried by each supporting member and shiftable against said horizontal portion for elevating the lifting member, means for operating said cams, and a vertical guide pin connecting said lifting member with each of said supporting members,

l. In a valve spring lifter, the combination of a lifting member comprising an angle bar having a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, said vertical portion having a pair of vertical guide slots and said horizontal portions having means for operating against a plurality of valve springs, a pair of supporting members located beneath said angle bar, a cam carried by each supporting member and shiftable against said lifting member for elevating the same, means for operating said cams, and a pair of inwardly spaced guide pins connecting said lifting member with each of said supporting members.

5. In a valve spring lifter, the combination of a lifting member having means for operating against a plurality of valve springs, said lifting member having a pair of vertical guide slots for receiving a pair of engine stuns or bolts, duplicate pivotally supported cams for elevating said lifting member, and guide means connecting said last means and lifting member for guiding the lifting member during the operation thereof.

6. in a valve spring lifter, the combination of a lifting member, a pair of cam sup ports each having a transverse recess open at one longitudinal side, a spindle journaled in each recess and removable through the opening thereof, and a cam carried by each spindle for elevating the lifting member.

' ve spring lifter, the combinang member, a pair of cam supports each having a transverse recess open at one longitudinal side, a spindle journaled in each recess and removable through the opening thereof, and a pair of oppositely shiftable cams carried by said spindles.

8. In a valve spring lifter, the combination of a lifting member, means for operating the same and means shiftably engaging the side of a valve spring for guiding said lifting member.

9. in a valve spring lifter, the combination of a lifting member, means for guiding said member during operation and comprising a member having curved side faces adapted to fit against a pair of valve pusher bearings of the engine, and cam means carried by said last member for operating said lifting member.

10. In a valve spring lifter, the combination of a lifting member, means for elevating said member, and a plurality of means for guiding said member and including means engageable with the side of a valve r Q a Signed at New York, N. Y., this 51 day of December, 1923.

LO'UIS MARCELLUS VOOD. 

